Nutritional Supplements and Cardiovascular Function in Athletes and Sedentary People
A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Research".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 4013
Special Issue Editor
2. Department of Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, HR-31000 Osijek, Croatia
Interests: microcirculation; n-3 PUFAs; endothelium; oxidative stress; eicosanoids; nutrients; exercise
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Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The endothelium plays a pivotal role in the maintenance of various vascular functions, such as vascular reactivity to stimuli, coagulation, inflammatory responses, etc. Endothelial dysfunction is underlying all cardiometabolic diseases (e.g., hypertension, diabetes mellitus, autoimmune diseases, coronary heart disease). Although exercise has a beneficial impact on endothelial function and prevents cardiovascular diseases or alleviates them, strenuous exercise can also lead to endothelial dysfunction and vascular/tissue damage. It is well documented that increased oxidative stress has a deleterious effect on endothelium-dependent vascular function by altering the different metabolic pathways involved in vascular reactivity. On the other hand, different nutraceuticals with antioxidative and anti-inflammatory properties can significantly impact vascular function and cardiovascular health. For professional athletes, appropriate nutrition is necessary to perform a lot of physical and metabolic activity to match their increased energy and nutritional needs. Nutritional supplements, such as nutrients with antioxidative properties, may play a role in preparing for exercise, increasing the efficiency of exercise, supporting recovery from exercise, and helping to prevent injury. This may help reduce exercise-induced inflammation. However, our understanding of the physiological mechanisms at the cellular and molecular level of the effects of various nutritional supplements on cardiovascular help is still insufficient. Some of the possible underlying mechanisms include the modification of oxidative stress via different pathways, such as the NRF2-transcription factor pathway, which influences vascular function. There is a need for controlled randomized studies on the effects of nutrients in athletes as well as in sedentary people on cardiovascular health in terms of preventive and potentially curative effects. There is a high degree of uncertainty surrounding the doses, duration, and chronic effects of nutritional supplementation (in food or in the form of pharmaceutical remedies). Moderate physical activity independently provides beneficial effects on cardiovascular health. Thus, in this Special Issue, review and original research articles performed in humans or experimental models on the effects of nutritional supplements, enriched food, or physical activity independently or in the interaction with nutrition on cardiovascular health in athletes and sedentary persons are welcome to be submitted.
Prof. Dr. Ines Drenjančević
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- athletes
- sedentary
- eating habits
- nutrition
- endothelium
- microcirculation
- vascular function
- nutritional supplements
- oxidative stress
- antioxidants
- NRF2-signaling pathway
- functional food
- cardiovascular function
- prevention
- physical activity
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